Newman Athletics Director Joanna Pryor has announced the resignation of Head Women’s Basketball Coach Darin Spence. A national search will begin immediately to fill the open position.
“We would like to thank Darin for his hard work and dedication over the past nine years,” said Pryor. “We wish him well in the future.”
Spence finished his ninth season as the head coach in 2020-21, leading the Jets to a 4-18 record. During his 36-year coaching career, Spence compiled 594 wins as a women’s head basketball coach. He led programs at NCAA Division I and Division II, NAIA and NJCAA levels. At Newman, Spence amassed a 120-113 overall record, a 59-53 mark in Heartland Conference play and a 10-31 record in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) over the last two seasons.
Under Spence, the Jets reached the Heartland Conference tournament in six of his seven seasons. 13 players have achieved all-conference honors, with Alex Ciabattoni earning freshman of the year and player of the year awards in 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively. Additionally, Faith Mason-Vestal earned Heartland freshman of the year honors in 2018-2019.
Before arriving at Newman, Spence spent one season at Barton Community College and eight seasons at Division I New Mexico State. His career also includes stops at Cowley Community College, Butler Community College, Colby Community College and Marymount College. Spence was inducted into the Cowley Tiger Hall of Fame in 2016.
